Longtime locals start Tahoe Restaurant Delivery & More

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UPDATE: Tahoe Restaurant Delivery & More is no longer undergoing a “soft” launch, and 48-hour advanced notice is not needed for basic restaurant deliveries. For more information on deliveries and order times, go to www.tahoerestaurantdelivery.com.

For longtime South Lake Tahoe residents Raoul and Terese Finlay, the idea for their South Shore business came to them while they considered dinner options on their deck one night.

With twin baby boys needing constant attention, the married couple wished there was a delivery service that could bring them a full and healthy meal, they said. Pizza, simply, would not do.

“We thought it would just be great to have something without leaving the house,” Terese Finlay said.

So, the duo decided to start Tahoe Restaurant Delivery & More, a delivery service working with several South Shore businesses to bring the best foods in the area to locals and visitors directly, she said.

But before they began, the couple wanted to test their plan to ensure its reliability, she said. So they started buying takeout meals at several South Shore eateries and driving them around town.

The work was time consuming, she said. But the idea was to figure out which foods traveled better.

“We found new ways to wrap it and package it and now it works really well,” Terese Finlay said.

The owners felt they were ready to start their business after about a year and a half of preparation, she said. They made their first delivery in mid-September to a 52-person party.

“It was really successful,” Terese Finlay said. “Everyone was ranting and raving about it because we were able to go out and find whatever they were looking for.”

Raoul Finlay said the journey to opening a new business in South Lake Tahoe has been a lot of work, but the family has been thrilled as they watch it come to fruition.

“We are very excited about it,” he said, “and have been working on it for quite sometime just to get it right.”

But the Finlays expect to partner with several more businesses in the future, they said.

Additionally, the company’s website — tahoerestaurantdelivery.com — went live this week and will be used to take the bulk of food orders. But people can also call in by phone at 775-636-8556.

Deliveries can be made to as far away as Carson City, Gardenerville, Glenbrook and Christmas Valley. Delivery fees vary based on location. But the fee to deliver in South Shore is generally $6, not including 10 percent gratuity and the cost of food.

Tahoe Restaurant Delivery is currently undergoing a “soft” launch, making dinner deliveries only from 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. with 48-hour advanced notice. However, hours will extend considerably when the business launches fully in mid- to late-November, according to the Finlays. Thanksgiving orders can be placed now.

Ultimately, the couple hopes the business continues to grow with the community — an area they want to continue raising their kids in, Terese Finlay said.